Burst on target simulation device for training with rockets

• US 4,290,757 A
• Filed: 06/09/1980
• Issued: 09/22/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Marshall, Albert H., Towle, Herbert C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Grieb, William H.
• Application Number:
  US06/157,750
• Time in Patent Office: 470 Days
• Field of Search: 434/22, 434/12, 434/20, 273/312
• US Class Current: 434/12
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2611 coacting with a TV-monitor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/2627 Cooperating with a motion picture projector

Abstract

A weapons simulator for training a marksman on an anti-armor weapon. The pons simulator includes first and second broadcasting means for projecting on a reflective display screen a background scene, a visual target, and an infrared target spot in alignment with the visual target, and a two-axis laser spot positioning servo system for moving the aligned visual target and infrared target spot upon the reflective display screen. A matrix detector mounted within the weapon will sense the position of the infrared target spot upon the reflective display screen whenever the marksman fires the weapon, and then supply to a microprocessor computer digital information indicative of the position of the infrared target spot upon the reflective display screen. The microprocessor computer, in turn, processes the digital information so as to determine whether the marksman has scored a hit, a miss, or near miss upon the visual target.

Claims

1. A burst on target simulator device for training with rockets, comprising in combination:

first broadcasting means having an input for projecting visual information along a first light path;

second broadcasting means for projecting target information along a second light path, said target information including a visual target and an infrared target spot in alignment with said visual target;

a reflective display screen spatially disposed downstream from said first broadcasting means adapted for receiving the visual information projected along said first light path so as to form thereon a background scene, and the target information projected along said second light path so as to form thereon said visual target and said infrared target spot in alignment therewith;

positioning means located between said second broadcasting means and said reflective display screen, and having an input for redirecting the target information projected along said second light path in a predetermined manner so as to move said visual target and the infrared target spot in alignment therewith in a predetermined direction upon said reflective display screen;

a weapon having a trigger mechanism for effecting the simulated firing thereof;

sensing means mounted within said weapon and having a data output for continuously sensing the position of said infrared target spot upon said reflective display screen, and for continuously providing at the output thereof digital data bits indicative of the position of said infrared target spot upon said reflective display screen; and

computing means having a data input connected to the data output of said sensing means, trigger input connected to the output of the trigger mechanism of said weapon, a first output connected to the input of said positioning means, a second output connected to the input of said first broadcasting means, a third output, a fourth output, and a fifth output for extracting from said sensing means the digital data bits provided thereby only when a marksman activates the trigger mechanism of said weapon, for processing the digital data bits extracted from said sensing means so as to determine the extract position of said infrared target spot only when said marksman activates the trigger mechanism of said weapon, for providing indicator signals indicative of whether said marksman has scored a hit, miss, or near miss upon said visual target, and for providing a position control signal so as to activate said positioning means and thereby control the movement of said visual target, and the infrared target spot in alignment therewith upon said reflective display screen.

2. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, wherein said first broadcasting means comprises a high resolution visual scene slide projector.

3. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, wherein said positioning means comprises a two-axis laser spot positioning servo system.

4. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, wherein said weapon comprises a Dragon Guidance System.

5. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, wherein said weapon comprises a mortar.

6. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, wherein said sensing means comprises:

a one hundred by one hundred matrix photodetector array mounted within said weapon and having an input-output terminal; and

a controller having an input-output terminal connected to the input-output terminal of said one hundred by one hundred matrix photodetector array.

7. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, wherein said computing means comprises:

an interface circuit having a data input connected to the data output of said sensing means, and an input-output terminal; and

a microprocessor computer having an input-output terminal connected to the input-output terminal of said interface circuit, and a trigger input connected to the output of the trigger mechanism of said weapon.

8. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, further characterized by means spatially disposed downstream from said first broadcasting means for filtering infrared noise from the visual information projected along said first optical path.

9. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, further characterized by means having an input connected to the third output of said computing means for supplying to said marksman a plurality of prerecorded messages, each of which is in response to one of the indicator signals provided by said computing means, and each of which is indicative of a hit, a miss, or a specific area of near miss scored upon said visual target by said marksman.

10. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 9, wherein said means for supplying to said marksman said plurality of prerecorded messages comprises:

a voice unit having an input connected to the third output of said computing means and an output; and

a headphone having an input connected to the output of said voice unit.

11. The burst on target simulator according to claim 1, further characterized by:

a graphics terminal having an input connected to the fourth output of said computing means and an output; and

a printer having an input connected to the output of said graphics terminal.

12. The burst on target simulator device according to claim 1, further characterized by a laser having an input connected to the fifth output of said computing means adapted for projecting upon said reflective display screen a laser burst pulse whenever said marksman activates the trigger mechanism of said weapon, said laser burst pulse indicating where said marksman has aimed said weapon.

13. An apparatus for simulating the firing of a weapon at an armored target comprising in combination:

a reflective display screen;

a visual scene slide projector spatially disposed from said reflective display screen in such a manner so as to project thereon a background scene, said visual scene slide projector having an input;

a target projector spatially disposed from said reflective display screen in such a manner so as to project thereon a visual target and an infrared target spot in alignment therewith;

a two-axis laser spot positioning servo system positioned between said target projector and said reflective display screen in such a manner so as to provide for the movement, in a predetermined direction, of said visual target and the infrared target spot in alignment therewith upon said reflective display screen;

an imitation weapon having a trigger mechanism for effecting the simulated firing thereof;

a normally open switch connected to the trigger mechanism of said weapon, said normally open switch having an input and an output for providing a trigger pulse whenever the trigger mechanism of said weapon is activated by a marksman;

a matrix detector mounted within said weapon, and having an input-output terminal for continuously sensing the position of said infrared target upon said reflective display screen, and for continuously providing at the input-output terminal thereof analog signals indicative of the position of said infrared target spot on said reflective display screen;

a controller having an input-output terminal connected to the input-output terminal of said matrix detector, and a data output for converting the analog signals provided by said controller to digital data bits indicative of the position of said infrared target spot upon said reflective display screen;

an interface circuit having a data input connected to the data output of said controller and an input-output terminal for extracting from said matrix detector the digital data bits provided thereby only when said marksman activates the trigger mechanism of said weapon;

a microprocessor computer having a trigger input effectively connected to the output of said switch, an input-output terminal connected to the input-output terminal of said interface circuit, a first output connected to the input of said two-axis laser spot positioning servo system, a second output connected to the input of said visual scene slide projector, a third output, a fourth output, and a fifth output adapted for supplying to said interface circuit a start pulse in response to the trigger pulse provided by said switch so as to effect the extraction of the digital data bits from said controller by said interface circuit, for processing the digital data bits extracted from said controller by said interface circuit so as to determine the exact position of said infrared target spot only when said marksman activates the trigger mechanism of said weapon, for providing indicator signals indicative of whether said marksman has scored a hit, miss, or near miss upon said visual target, and for providing a position control signal so as to activate said two-axis laser spot positioning servo system and thereby control the movement of said visual target and the infrared target spot in alignment therewith upon said reflective display screen; and

a laser having an input connected to the fifth output of said microprocessor computer adapted for projecting upon said reflective display screen a laser burst pulse whenever said marksman activates the trigger mechanism of said weapon, said laser burst pulse indicating where said marksman has aimed said weapon.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said matrix detector comprises an array of photodiodes arranged in a one hundred by one hundred pattern.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said imitation weapon comprises a mortar.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said imitation weapon comprises a Dragon Guidance System.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further characterized by a filter positioned between said visual scene slide projector and said reflective display screen for deleting from the background scene projected upon said reflective display screen, spurious radiant energy.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, further characterized by a direct current voltage source having an output connected to the input of said normally open switch.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, further characterized by a one-shot multivibrator connected between the output of said switch and the trigger input of said microprocessor computer.

20. The apparatus of claim 13, further characterized by means having an input connected to the third output of said microprocessor computer for supplying to said marksman a plurality of prerecorded messages, each of which is in response to one of the indicator signals provided by said microprocessor computer, and each of which is indicative of a hit, a miss, or a specific area of near miss scored upon said visual target by said marksman.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said means for supplying to said marksman said plurality of prerecorded messages comprises:

a voice unit having an input connected to the third output of said microprocessor computer and an output; and

a headphone having an input connected to the output of said voice unit.

22. The apparatus of claim 13, further characterized by:

a graphics terminal having an input connected to the fourth output of said microprocessor computer and an output; and

a printer having an input connected to the output of said graphics terminal.